Biggen
Aquarium Advice Addict
I am curious as to what everyone does about Ca when they make up a fresh batch of water to do a water change with. I finally got the Ca and Alk levels fairly balanced in my tank but I am due for a water change this Friday. I was thinking I should make up the new water and add calcium chloride to the new water after it is mixed to bring the Ca level up to what it is at in my tank. This make sense? Anyone else do this?
If I don't do this, the new water will have a Ca lower than what my tank is. When I put it in the tank, this will cause the ionic balance to go out of "whack" again with my Alk being high and my Ca being low. It has been my experience that to fix this, I have to stop dosing Kalk and do double doses of calcium chloride to bring the Ca up while the Alk drops. This of course takes a few days to adjust the Ca and Alk and by the time I know it, another freaking water change has come around.
If I don't do this, the new water will have a Ca lower than what my tank is. When I put it in the tank, this will cause the ionic balance to go out of "whack" again with my Alk being high and my Ca being low. It has been my experience that to fix this, I have to stop dosing Kalk and do double doses of calcium chloride to bring the Ca up while the Alk drops. This of course takes a few days to adjust the Ca and Alk and by the time I know it, another freaking water change has come around.